1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to
a binding support plate, in particular an interface system between a binding unit for retaining, releasably if necessary, a boot and a board-type runner, having a single- or multiple-component support body of a length approximately that of a binding unit, the distal end regions of which are provided as a means of receiving jaw bodies or guide tracks for jaw bodies of a binding unit and the bottom face of which is designed, at least in part regions, to sit on the top face of a board-type runner,
and a runner, in particular a ski, having several layers between a running surface layer and a top layer forming an integral sandwich unit and the top face of which is designed either to support a binding unit directly or so that a plate-shaped binding support plate can be mounted between the top face of the runner and the bottom face of the binding unit.
2. The Prior Art
Numerous designs of so-called binding support plates or interface systems between a ski and a binding unit are known. One function of these binding support plates is to elevate the standing position of a user relative to a ski, thereby preventing the ski boot from prematurely coming into contact with the piste when the user is in a very inclined position, particularly when turning. In order to ensure that the runner is not rendered too stiff by the binding support plate, a stable binding support plate is either joined to the ski at the centre region only or bent front ends of a plate part are mounted on the top face, one end region being screwed fast to the ski whilst the end region remote therefrom is joined to the ski by means of elongated holes in which screws are inserted, as described in document EP 0 104 185 B1, for example. To ensure that these plates are capable of withstanding the forces acting on them, they have had to be made to a relatively solid design and of a large volume and the relatively high natural stiffness of the binding support plate or the forces centrally transmitted between the ski and the binding support plate have a marked and perceptible effect on the running properties of the ski.
The objective of the present invention is to propose an interface system between a runner and a binding unit that will have the least possible effect on the elastic deformation properties built into the runner by the manufacturer as well as a runner designed accordingly.
This objective is achieved by the invention by means of a binding support plate, where a middle region of the single-component support body is of a lesser structural stiffness than the two end regions thereof and at least one end region of the support body can be mounted by means of clamp-type fixing means on the top face of a runner so as to slide freely in the binding longitudinal direction. The advantage of this system is that the bending resistance and the structural stiffness of the longitudinal, profiled support body can be designed to be relatively low transversely to its longitudinal direction, so that it has barely any effect on the inherent bending characteristics or elasticity properties of the runner or ski. This advantage is assisted due to the fact that because at least one end region of the support body is mounted in a free-sliding arrangement, the runner is not placed under any strain in the region of the binding mounting but is able to deform, in particular bend, and is so as far as possible decoupled from the support body. These features also largely avoid any compressive or tensile stress in the support body. Another significant advantage is the fact that the support body, which assumes the function of transferring the force, can be made relatively slim and to what might in principle appear to be a relatively unstable design due to the clamp-type fastening means but nevertheless provides a highly stable and break-resistant arrangement on the top face of a runner. Because the fastening clamps at least partially overlap transversely across the support body, fixing regions of a relatively large surface area can be provided on the support body, which are also capable of withstanding a high input of forces. In particular, there is no need to provide orifices for fixing screws in the support body, affording a high resistance to breaking in spite of the relatively small dimensions in cross section. The clamp-type fastening means also avoid causing weakness in the support body in regions where the highest loads or forces act locally. The binding support plate proposed by the invention therefore offers high stability values in spite of a relatively low natural stiffness and gives rise to hardly any or very few repercussions on the deformation properties of the runner.
As a result of another advantageous embodiment, where the clamp-type fixing means extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the support body and transversely to the binding longitudinal axis, the runner is not rendered significantly stiffer or blocked, even in the region where the fastening clamps are mounted fast with the ski.
The advantage of a binding support plate, where the clamp-type fixing means extend in the manner of a bracket across the support body, is that the support body can be very securely mounted on the top face of the runner even though the walls of the fastening clamps are relatively thin.
The advantage offered by an embodiment, in which the clamp-type fixing means are provided in the form of half-open fixing clamps, orifices or slits being provided in the end regions thereof to receive fixing screws, is that the fastening clamps may also be of a relatively low structural stiffness if the material from which the fastening clamps are made has an adequate tensile or stretching resistance.
A binding support plate, where the shape of the fix clamps is at least partially adapted to the contour of the support body in the respective fixing region, ensures that the support body is guided with as little clearance as possible, with a low surface contact pressure between the matching guide parts.
Optimum bending capacity, i.e. as low a natural stiffness as possible, of the support body can be obtained, when the end regions of the support body provided as a means of supporting the jaw bodies are designed so that they are elevated in the manner of a block above the surrounding part regions, in particular elevated above the middle region or when that the contour of the support body seen in plan view is that of a dog""s bone or dumb bell or when the support body has a slim, skeletal-type structure.
A design, where at least a part region of the bottom face of the support body is designed to complement a profiling of the top face of a ski or where the bottom face of the support body can be displaced at least partially in a positive fit in engagement with a surface profiling of a runner, is of particular advantage because, although the support body has a low transverse stability, the support body stays very true to the desired position on the runner, even under high loads. In particular, the support body can be made even slimmer and dimensioned to an even smaller cross section as a result and still reliably withstand the high loads placed on it.
A further embodiment, in which the profiling of the bottom face of the support body, complementing a top face of a runner, forms, in conjunction with the runner profiling, a longitudinal guide device extending in the direction of the binding longitudinal axis, enables the binding support plate to be positioned accurately in the direction running transversely to the binding longitudinal axis. Furthermore, any strain between the support body and the runner is avoided when the runner deforms.
As a result of the embodiment, where a cover element is designed to at least partially cover the bearing frame-type support body, the load-bearing support body, which is visually rather unattractive as a rule, can be effectively covered by simple means which determine the overall appearance of the binding support plate.
A binding support plate, where the cover element is provided as a flexible injection-moulded component made from a plastics material, offers simple ways and means by which a whole range of different designs can be used for the binding support plate.
The overall visual impression of the binding support plate can be modified in terms of stability, dynamics and the intended target group due to advantageous embodiments, in which a width of the cover element remains substantially constant in the longitudinal direction thereof or in which the flexible cover element determines the visual appearance and the external contour of the interface system.
An embodiment, in which pre-defined bores for receiving fixing screws are provided in the region of mounting zones for mounting jaw bodies or guide tracks, offers a seamless and rapid means of fixing binding units.
The advantage of the embodiment, where a penetration depth of the fixing screws for the jaw bodies or for a guide track is shorter than a thickness of the support body in the region of the mounting zones, is that the runner and the support body can still be displaced relative to one another when the runner is flexed, even after mounting the binding unit.
The advantage of a binding support plate, where the fixing clamps are disposed in the immediately adjacent region around or in the mounting zones for the jaw bodies, is that in spite of the fact that the support body has a low natural stability, it provides a very secure mounting for the binding unit on the runner. In particular, support body parts made from plastics or similar can be used, which can be produced easily and on a rational scale.
The clamp-type fastening means, which are of a hat-shaped design with a slit in the receiving region for the fixing screws transversely to the longitudinal axis of the support body, are relatively simple to produce. Under certain circumstances, fastening means of this type can be cut to the right length from an appropriate profiled section.
Also of advantage is an embodiment, where a clearance width between guide arms of the fixing clamps aligned approximately perpendicular to the plane of the mounting zones is smaller than a width of the mounting zones running transversely to a longitudinal median axis of the support body, because it enables the fixing screws to be screwed into the top face of the runner, which means that there are barely any restrictions to the type of runner with which it may be used.
Of particular advantage is another embodiment, in which at least one fixing clamp has at least one retaining extension which overlaps a peripheral region of the mounting block with the mounting zones, or in which a width of the retaining extension measured transversely to the longitudinal median axis of the support body or a distance between two outer retaining extensions of a fixing clamp measured transversely to the longitudinal median axis of the support body is longer than the clearance width between the vertical guide arms of the fixing clamp, or in which the width of a retaining extension measured transversely to the longitudinal median axis of the support body substantially corresponds to the width of the mounting zones. Each of this embodiments counteracts any deviating movements of the load-transferring parts of the binding support plate relative to the runner. In particular, the mounting areas for the binding components are prevented from twisting about the binding longitudinal axis. Furthermore, any lifting movements of the support body from the runner top face are counteracted more effectively.
A further embodiment, in which the middle region of the support body lies at least partially in a recess on the top face of a runner, or in which the middle region of the support body or the connecting element thereof is arranged at least partially in a region between the running surface of a runner and the maximum height or thickness of this runner, or in which at least the middle region of the support body lies closer to the region of a neutral fibre of a runner than the two end regions of the support body spaced at a distance apart from one another, is of advantage because at least the middle region of the support body lies closer to the neutral fibres and the neutral zone of the multi-ply runner, thereby affecting its deformation properties even less.
An other embodiment, in which the middle region of the support body is a connecting element of high tensile strength between the mounting blocks and the mounting zones of the support body and has a significantly lower bending stiffness than the distal mounting blocks, or in which the middle region of the support body has the properties of a strip-shaped elements, in particular a high tensile strength, but a low natural stiffness with regard to loads directed perpendicular to a mounting plane for jaw bodies on the support body, is also of advantage because the mounting blocks of the support body are retained at the desired distance whilst at the same time not making the runner very much stiffer, which would be undesirable.
An embodiment, where the support body can be mounted so as to be fixed exclusively at one point relative to the runner, or where a fixed position of the support body relative to a runner lies in a region for receiving a front jaw of a binding unit, guarantees a free-sliding mounting of the binding support plate on the runner.
The embodiment, where in a region of the longitudinal extension, in particular the middle region, of the support body, a longitudinal positioning device is provided for retaining the support body relative to a runner in the longitudinal direction thereof, readily enables the user to stand in various positions relative to the longitudinal extension of the runner.
In an embodiment, in which the longitudinal positioning device accurately retains the support body in position in the longitudinal direction thereof relative to a runner and permits a vertical degree of freedom of the middle region of the support body relative to the top face of a runner, the longitudinal positioning device does not cause any vertical coupling between the runner and the support body, which means that no forced deformation movements are transferred from the runner onto the support body in the region of the longitudinal positioning device if the runner or ski is subjected to bending.
Advantageous embodiments of the longitudinal positioning device also described.
A particularly simple but reliable longitudinal positioning device is achieved, when the longitudinal positioning device is provided in the form of a substantially clearance-free fixing screw inserted through the middle region of the support body, or when a bottom face of the flange of the fixing screw is arranged at a distance above the peripheral region around the orifice for this fixing screw.
As a result of another advantageous embodiment, in which the runner-side retaining member has at least one retaining pin extending perpendicular to the mounting plane or standing plane, which may optionally be displaced in engagement with one of several recesses or orifices arranged at a distance apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the support body, or in which the support body can be relatively displaced and locked in the longitudinal direction of the runner by means of the retaining member to be fixedly mounted on a runner, the longitudinal position of the support body and the complete binding support plate can be adjusted relative to the runner to suit individual requirements. The travel properties of the runner can be better adapted to soft or hard piste conditions.
A stable mounting for a slide plate, without significantly increasing the stiffness of the support body, is achieved, when the support body has a supporting rib in the region of a sliding plate arrangement for mounting a boot.
Also of advantage is an embodiment, where the support body is split in the middle region and an overlap width of the end regions of the support body parts facing one another may be varied, because adjustments can be made to cater for different boot sizes, starting with the smallest lady""s ski boot size up to the largest man""s ski boot size, with only one adaptable support body.
The objective of the invention is also independently achieved by a runner, in particular a ski, having several layers between a running surface layer and a top layer forming an integral sandwich unit and the top face of which is designed either to support a binding unit directly or so that a plate-shaped binding support plate can be mounted between the top face of the runner and the bottom face of the binding unit, where at least part regions of a mounting region for a binding unit are three-dimensional in shape or profiled and these profiled part regions of the runner are provided as a means of producing an at least partial positive fit with the bottom face of a binding support plate as previously described.
The advantages gained by the combination of this features reside in the fact a runner of this type, in particular a ski, can be mounted with a support body for a binding support plate which can be of a relatively flexible design but which is nevertheless reliable during travel in terms of capacity to absorb the forces acting on it. Due to the at least partial form fit with the profiled, matching top face of the runner, a support body mounted on this runner proposed by the invention exhibits a high transverse stability and support strength for the jaw body to be mounted on it, in particular for a front jaw and a heel jaw of a binding unit. The support body, which has a relatively low bending resistance moment, advantageously makes the runner hardly any stiffer in the region of the binding mounting, which has a positive effect on the travel and gliding behaviour thereof. This reciprocal form fit also facilitates and simplifies mounting of the corresponding binding support plate.
A runner, where the profiling on the top face is provided by at least one recess running in a longitudinal direction or by means of at last one raised area, fulfils the requirement for a simple longitudinal guide system for the binding support plate. When the binding support plate is duly coupled with the appropriately designed runner, a longitudinal guide system of this type avoids strain between the runner and the binding support plate whenever the runner is deformed. In addition, the binding support plate is very stable in the direction transverse to the runner.
A stable guide arrangement for the binding support plate can be obtained when the profiling is provided as a three-dimensional deformation of the top layer and/or a top surface of the runner.
Another embodiment, where the raised area is provided as a profiled element which can be fixed to the top face, also enables runners with a flat top face to be prepared so that they are suitable for mounting the binding support plate proposed by the invention.
An embodiment, where the profiled element can be screwed onto the top face, enables runners with a flat top face to be adapted retrospectively to allow fitting of the binding support plate proposed by the invention.
Finally, another embodiment, where the raised area is provided by means of at least one screw with a larger screw head which can be anchored in the runner, offers an advantage since it offers a simple approach to providing a guiding and positioning system enabling optimised mounting of the binding support plate proposed by the invention.